Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

We had the suggestion put to us about creating a feature that allows us recappers to talk more regularly about the shows we aren’t personally recapping. It seemed like a good idea to give everyone the chance to weigh in on other shows without creating multiple reviews of the same thing, or waiting till the end of the year to talk about them in the year-end round-up (which gets unwieldy enough as it is).

So we’re trying this new feature out, which we’re calling (aptly!) What We’re Watching, where we’ll weigh in on a weekly basis about what we’re following and share some thoughts on them. Not everybody will join us for every single week, but we’ll be sure to have at least some recappers in each edition. We hope you enjoy!

Oh Hae-young Again: My favorite show of the moment, and the first one in a long while where I’m sad when episodes end because I want more. Haven’t had my heart tugged so consistently by a character in a while, or loved a heroine like I love Hae-young. Eric is fine and all (and I do mean fine), but Seo Hyun-jin is the everything.

Beautiful Gong Shim: I intended to watch this eventually when I had free time, but started it up at midnight one night and had to force myself not to marathon four episodes at once. Delightful and cute in a small-town, small-stakes, big-heart sort of way. Namgoong Min has found his next level, but I’m more surprised by Minah, who’s made the character all her own—independent, grumpy, and resilient.

Mirror of the Witch: Now here’s a fantasy sageuk that feels like a fantasy sageuk. Beautiful, eerie, and tightly crafted. I’m even starting to get over the whole age-gap issue between Yoon Shi-yoon (amazing) and Kim Sae-ron (perfect). I know! It’s like magic.

Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho: The show has always been upbeat and feel-good (sometimes so feel-good that it’s to its own detriment). A little simplistic with the legal cases, but a competent, crowd-pleasing fight-for-the-little-guy drama. That said, nobody thought we needed more episodes of this, right? Let’s all thank Park Shin-yang for fighting the good fight and refusing to cave to the extension monster.

Monster: It’s not the show I wanted… but sometimes you need a show to clean your room to, okay? I’m a few weeks behind and it can be pretty silly, but it makes me laugh. Sometimes even intentionally.

Dear My Friends: This is almost too realistic that it’s painful, but I really love Go Hyun-jung in this. She feels like me, and I almost hate how much her crazy relationship with Mom feels vaguely familiar. (Don’t tell my mother!)

Mirror of the Witch: Yoon Shi-yoon is amazing, and he almost even makes the romance work! I love the mythical universe, and the stellar CG and beautiful directing certainly don’t hurt. It’s always a treat to discover a show that can make a fantastical world full of sorcery and curses believable.

Entertainer: I don’t know why I’m still watching this.

Vampire Detective: I forgot I was still watching this. Does the vampire know he’s a vampire yet?

Mirror of the Witch: I haven’t seen a show this well-produced in a while. And I’m not talking Descended From the Sun levels of grandiosity, but rather Mirror’s intricacy and attention to detail. Everything we see is there to serve the story, and the world feels pretty real for a fantasy, helped in no small part by some really amazing set construction. Super impressed so far.

Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho: An easy show to watch, filled with characters you can easily root for and against. It’s a small drama with a big heart, and while it may not be one aspiring to greatness, it’s just so darn uplifting that you can’t help but like it anyway. Human dramas aren’t normally my thing, but there’s just something about watching a makeshift family work together to solve problems that gets me every time.

Oh Hae-young Again: Definitely my favorite show at the moment. I love Hae-young, her family, her bike, her honesty, and basically everything. Seo Hyun-jin may think we love Hae-young because she’s pitiful, but she is so much more. Oh, and petty Eric is a nice bonus.

Lucky Romance: It’s a fun watch and I love our leads, though it’s still a little difficult to forget them in their past roles. I may not stay up-to-date with it, but I’ll come back if I need a lighter rom-com that’s sure to be full of Hwang Jung-eum’s tiger-hunting antics.

Dear My Friends: The older cast really shines with their lovable and despicable ways, and I enjoy watching them through the eyes of Go Hyun-jung. She loves them by hating them, never afraid to reciprocate their blunt expressions of fondness. It’s morbid and comical as it deals with the often heartbreaking realities of aging.

Mirror of the Witch: It’s creepy and dark done the right way. Sometimes, it’s too dark (literally), but it’s still so captivating. Kim Sae-ron and Yoon Shi-yoon are perfect for their tragic characters and look beautiful on camera. Bless this director and production team.

Beautiful Gong Shim: This show is so cute it makes my teeth hurt. I love the quirky characters and their strange little friendships. Gong Shim is a perfect little firecracker, while Dan-tae with his man-capris makes me laugh every time he’s on screen. It’s a show that won’t tackle any big issues, but it doesn’t need to, because it’s perfect just as it is.

Dear My Friends: I’m a little behind already, but not because it’s not a wonderful show — it’s because I’m so scared it’s going to break my heart. These ladies with their lovely friendships (and even their battles) were so endearing right off the bat, they’re already making me laugh and cry right along with them.

Mirror of the Witch: I do love a good fantasy sageuk, and Mirror hits all the right notes for me. Earnest hero, damsel in distress, and a witch with the ability to summon something so terrifying I hold my breath whenever it shows up to menace someone. The magic is unique and creative, which makes the story unpredictable and frightening in that good-shivery sort of way.

Jackpot: I’m SO behind, and yet I’m still determined to finish this show. I’m pretty sure it’s 90% due to the brother-princes’ pretty pretty faces.

Monster: The show continuously seems confused about what it wants to be, but that’s almost become part of its charm. I never know when it’s going to suddenly veer from spy slapstick comedy to revenge thriller to family melodrama. But my expectations are low — as long as it keeps being reasonably entertaining whilst feeding my Park Ki-woong addiction, I’m happy.

Vampire Detective: Wait, so this show has a vampire? Does he know that? OCN may be disappointing me on the supernatural front, but I know I can always rely on them to give me interesting and stylishly produced crime procedurals. The chemistry between the main trio that keep me coming back each week, though.

Jackpot: Currently at episode 12, finally let go of hope for a super-badass epic. I actually do enjoy it and it’s (a hair) above mediocre, but I wanted it to, you know… break my heart, make it soar. And for the love of all that is warm and fuzzy, stop withholding the bromance.

Oh Hae-young Again: Eric deserved his beating and Hae-young has the best parents ever. BEST. This show is lighting the dark crevices of my heart that Cheese in the Trap despoiled. The so-real-it-hurts-but-don’t-it-hurt-so-good parts.

Master—God of Noodle: Still loving it, but it’s lately had a way of pitching you into the middle of things with-out any explanation. I finally had everything straight last week — so of course it drops a whole new tangle of intrigue this week. Which is, well, intriguing, but is it getting too convoluted?

Lucky Romance: I’ve only caught the first episode, and am unreasonably excited to see sensory overload get an outing that really feels authentic. But I found it endlessly droll that recovery was sought via broody shower. Fellow aspies take note!

Entertainer: I picked this up again at episode 5 after falling behind, but it was so boring I nearly cried. How do you even mess this up, with (mostly) winsome characters and a (mostly) solid cast? Somebody tell me it gets better.

May 28, 2016 at 9:16 AM

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I think this is a nice thread! Congrats girls! :D
I liked reading your comments especially about the "Mirror of the Witch". I like that drama so much so that I decided to help sub it into Turkish on Viki! It takes a lot of time but seeing my words on screen makes it worth the effort. :D

May 28, 2016 at 9:25 AM

May 29, 2016 at 5:36 AM

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Hello wapz,

I am a Turkish citizen with Armenian origins, belonging to the Armenian minority in Turkey. :D
I also love Turkish dramas. Currently I am watching Kara Sevda (can be translated into English as Captivating Blind Romance), it is a modern drama with an addicting love story, and a historical drama called Kosem (it is about the life story of an Ottoman Sultan and her rise to the power). Viki used to have those dramas actually and I would love to help translate them into English for international audience, but I don't know for which reason, they've cancelled the Turkish channels. :(
Are you following any Turkish dramas? :)

May 29, 2016 at 12:01 PM

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Hi Dedicated.
I am not following any Turkish dramas right now, though they are dubbed in my country, I prefer subtitles but unfortunately I cannot find any subtitles for these shows. Do you know of any other sites that sub these shows?
The shows that air here dubbed are very few plus they are way after their air date but the biggest issue is that if they don't receive good ratings here they'll stop them midway even if a show was super hit in Turkey.
I consider Muhtesem Yuzyil as my favorite Turkish show and that is why I decide to follow Kosem too but could only keep up with a few episodes with translations/recaps. However, I think the former was better but I guess Kosem has picked pace now, it was a little slow in the beginning.
Haven't seen Kara Sevda but yes Burak Ozcivit is one of my favorite actors. I know him obviously thorugh Muhtesem. How is that show going?

May 29, 2016 at 1:32 PM

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Hi wapz,
I looked around and found "turkishseriesenglishsubs wordpress com". I think they also have a Facebook fan page. Maybe that could help. Some Youtube channels have them subbed as well. But I know it is really hard to find Turkish series with English subs. Some are only subbed half way, which is worse because it keep you hanging.

I really hate it when a show I am following is cut short or discontinued abruptly while leaving us hanging for a proper closure just because it hasn't garnered enough ratings. I mean what about the unspoken promise that is made between the producers, the channel and the viewers? I think we at least deserve a proper ending to find the answers to our questions to quell our curiosity. That is outright disrespectful to the viewers. But that's a common problem with Turkish dramas because they don't give us an episode count at the beginning. As long as it gets high ratings there will be more episodes and seasons; however, if few people watch it, it will be taken off the shelves sometimes without prior notice.

I started watching Kosem because of the love story, it was really cute especially in the first few episodes. I thought we would at least have like 20 episodes weaving that story and fleshing it out, but it wasn't that welcome with the Turkish audience, so it was cut short. Now, we are embroiled in politics and are knee deep in intrigues. It is not my forte, but I cannot stop watching it! :D

Turning to Burak Ozcivit, he is much more handsome in this show than he was in Muhtesem Yuzyil. I think he is aging like good wine. :D He is very manly and has the best love lines to deliver. He started as a poor mining engineer saving the rich and beautiful damsel in distress from drowning and they fell in love with each other. Their love, bickering relationship, push-and-pull, and chemistry is fantastic. I don't want to spoil it for you by going into more detail. It is not only about love, but there's also a mystery and multiple crimes and a murder and obsessed people. There's a Facebook fan page called "Kara Sevda/Blind Love". I checked and found out that they uploaded episode 28 and last week episode 32 was aired on TV. The translations are catching up with the show. I hope you'll like the show as much as I like it. ;)

May 29, 2016 at 2:06 PM

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Hi wapz,

I agree with you. I think it would be better to have an episode count or keeping the story short as not to make it become silly or repetitive for the sake of stretching it out.

Some Korean remakes are so successful that after a while you forget that they are remakes. They can stand on their own but some do not garner enough popularity and are discontinued broadcasting, such as May Queen (Mayıs Kraliçesi).

Kiraz Mevsimi managed to be its own. They changed the premise a little bit in Turkey because their target audience was teenagers or people in their twenties. In A Gentleman's Dignity, the characters were over thirty or in their early forties. However, in the Turkish version it was about four male friends in their twenties finding love. Of course, when they are that young, their families were involved, which was not the case in the Korean version. That's why Kiraz Mevsimi could go its separate way and become something unpredictable for the audience. There are a lot of Turkish addicts of Korean series, like me. :D They have blogs and internet sites airing Korean series with Turkish subs or chatting about the series. If it is too predictable for them and if they don't like the ending, they stop watching the Turkish version. That's why the Turkish remakes need to make something different out of the Korean premise. :D

Here are the Turkish versions of the series I mentioned before. But there are many more. Some of them are available on dailymotion, Youtube, or Facebook pan pages with English subs.

May 30, 2016 at 8:31 AM

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Thank you so much Dedicated. I hope I can keep up with Turkish shows often now :) I actually like the palace intrigues and politics in both Muhtesem Yuzyil and Kosem perhaps more than romance. Well thanks a lot for these sites and I hope we keep in touch through DB and get to discuss Turkish dramas here too and perhaps even bring other beanies to Turkish dramas :P

May 30, 2016 at 1:16 PM

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Hello wapz,

I hope to see you around, too, and discuss Turkish dramas with you here on DB. As you said, who knows, maybe we'll create our own niche and addiction besides following addicting Korean dramas :D
Take care until next time! ;)

May 28, 2016 at 5:32 PM

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I don't speak Turkish, but just wanted to say thank you for all the people everywhere waiting for a show to be subbed in their language. You're a cool person and are much appreciated. Keep up your valiant subbing efforts!

May 29, 2016 at 5:40 AM

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Hello Holla,

thank you very much for you encouraging words. :) I myself am an avid fan of Korean dramas. I know as an international fan how hard it is to wait for the subs sometimes. So, I watch them raw. Sometimes I watch an episode even if they are only partially subbed. That's why I thought it would be nice to help subbing a show this time. This will be my first long commitment, so I hope I'll be able to keep my motivation high enough to see it through the end! Thank you very much again! :D

May 29, 2016 at 5:45 AM

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Hello izie,

I couldn't agree with you more. I really appreciate all the hard work of subbers and recappers. They make it available for us to enjoy our beloved and addicting shows. May they be blessed! <3
I have almost always been on the receiving end. This time, as I really really liked the fantasy saeguk "The Mirror of the Witch" I thought of coming out and lending them a helping hand for the Turkish language, as I hardly speak Korean. :( Hope, I will be able to keep my promise and see the project through the end as not to disappoint the fans waiting for the subs! :D

May 29, 2016 at 6:16 AM

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In my country they dubbed a lot of turkish drama, people here even know the actors/actresses
Many are obsessed with turkish dramas even old people, they even go to turkey to visit the places where they shot thier favorite drama, I didn't watch much myself but I enjoyed some I don't know the turkish names of the dramas i watched i know the dubbed name only

May 29, 2016 at 8:49 AM

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Hello Rozen,

really? Where are you from? :D
In Turkey, people used to be obsessed with Brazilian or Latin American dramas quite some time ago. Of course, there have always been some classical US dramas like "The Rich and the Beautiful" on TV. But lately Turkish people have become addicted to Korean and/ or Chinese dramas. You can find them dubbed on national TV channel.

Many private TV channels, like Show TV, Star TV, Fox TV, Kanal D, ATV, but also including the national TV channel, TRT, buy the rights of Korean dramas and shoot remakes. Watching remakes of Korean dramas with Turkish flavor has become the norm now.

However, when the series garner high ratings they make it longer, having multiple seasons of it. A Gentleman's Dignity (Kiraz Mevsimi [Season of Cherries]) is originally less than 20 episodes, but its Turkish remake aired whopping 59 episodes 2 seasons, 1 episode lasting 120 minutes, which equals to 118 Korean way episodes!

At the beginning you can recognize the series, but after a while it becomes something strange because of the additions to keep the story long.

Recently, they remade series like The Bride of the Century, Full House, My Girl, What Happens to My Family, Flames of Desire, Boys Over Flowers, May Queen, I am Sorry I Love You, Temptation of an Angel, The Family of My Husband, King of Baking: Kim Tak Goo, Innocent Guy, Rooftop Prince, ...

Some of them were successful, some were not, so they were cut short, such as May Queen. It lasted only 11 episodes and ended abruptly (makes roughly 22 episodes Korean air time).

I am curious about your country. Do they also remake popular Korean TV shows or Turkish series in your country?

May 29, 2016 at 12:08 PM

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Oh was Kiraz Mevsimi a remake of Gentleman's Dignity? Seriously? I have no interest in watching Gentleman's dignity but Kiraz Mevsimi was actually pretty good. I think Turkish dramas are equally good or perhaps at times even better than Korean, especially at acting but I hope they stop making such lengthy shows. It reduces their quality greatly unfortunately and they are difficult to keep up with. If they make dramas of 20-25 episodes (and please allow subs) I guess they'll dominate they market. They are already super popular though.

What were the names of all these other shows that were remade? I am pretty intrigued now.

May 29, 2016 at 9:16 AM

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Hello
I am from Jordan in the middle east, we have a broadcasting channels that broadcast to all of the middle east country, such as MBC group, Dubai chanales they all broadcast so many Turkish dramas mbc 4 have 4 turkish dramas running Starting from 7 pm to 11 pm Season of Cherries is one of them but I didn't know it was a remake
I remember one drame called forbidden love this was the first drama to be dubbed and got a lot of hype people were buying Tshirts, pillows, hanging photoson their walls, for the lead actor , everyone was obsessed with this drama for along time, and then fathima i think evereybody went crazy about the actor ( I don't know the name)
thete Is a very pretty actress called tuba Buyukustun ( am not sure if the name is right) but she is very famous in the middle east they dubbed almost all her dramas she's so liked here, she even made commercials for shampoo and diaper, i watched 2 dramas for her the last one she was called elif i think, people her used to call her lamees because it was the dubbed name for her first drama
People here go to turkey for vacations for honeymoons,
Turkish drama is successful here everybody loves it

May 29, 2016 at 9:25 AM

May 29, 2016 at 1:47 PM

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Hi Rozen,

I have never been to Jordan, but I am sure it is a beautiful country with a rich history, rich culture, and colorful traditions. :D Where have you visited in Turkey? Have you been to Istanbul or Antalya? ;)

Tuba Büyüküstün (Buyukustun) is a very beautiful woman and a successful actress. I liked her series Asi (Rebellious). I know that there are many people coming to Turkey to see where their beloved series are shot. Not only people from outside the country, but also Turkish people living in other cities go and visit the shooting place of popular shows. There were many people from Istanbul participating in tours to see Cappadocia because of Asmalı Konak (Mansion with Vines). It took Turkey by storm. It was such a hit that after the series ended, they shot a movie (Asmalı Konak: Hayat) as a sequel. It has been more than ten years but people still remember it. I like revisiting it sometimes even if I don't watch whole episodes, I enjoy fan made music videos. :D

May 29, 2016 at 3:05 PM

Merhaba., i forgot that you also say Merhaba in turkish we say it in Arabic too same word

My first trip was to Marmaris, I enjoyed the Safari game there, and walking by the beach andbthe beutiful scenary

The second was Istanbul, wooow very beutiful, many historical places i loved it, went to a big museum but sadly I forgot the name, enjoyed shopping places (We have a lot of turkish clothes in Jordan like LC Wikiki brand and Colins it's expensive people like to buy Turkish goods because its a good quality even turkish food, i myself prefer to buy something Made in Turkey I trust the turkish made), ?
I wen to the Princess Island, i enjoyed riding the bike there, but sadly i got rained at LOL, i walked around there for ours I enjoyed the scenary, Jordan is kinda desert little green, so i was like wooow too much green, water everywhere

i really wish I would go to Antalya sometime, a lot of people saying it's very beutiful, it's not a surprise though since every place in Turkey is beutiful, it's a very classy country

May 30, 2016 at 1:14 PM

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Dear Rozen,

thank you very much for your amazing ideas about Turkey. I hope one day you'll visit Antalya, too. Maybe you won't believe me but I haven't had the opportunity yet to visit Marmaris or Antalya! I think that happens when you live in the country. :)

Yes, but you are right. I love the green nature of my country and the fact that we are surrounded with water, even though we cut down a lot of trees to build houses or do not protect them enough by lighting fire carelessly in forests just to have a picknick. But that's the selfish part of human nature I am afraid.

Maybe some day, when we don't have those treasures anymore we will come to appreciate them, but I am afraid it will be too late then. I hope we'll come to our senses as soon as possible and protect that beautiful nature with all our might for the present and future generations. :D

May 28, 2016 at 9:19 AM

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Ah this is a really nice feature ? It's lovely to hear everyone's opinions but honestly it's so surprising no one is watching Five Children ? It's so cute ❤️ And only Saya is the only watching God of Noodles ?? whaattt that's one of the best dramas of the year in my eyes ? I can't believe you all are sticking with Monster and Jackpot. But I agree that Oh Hae Young again and Beautiful Gong Shim are killing it ?

May 28, 2016 at 11:06 AM

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I'm actually also sticking to Jackpot and Monster because I don't have any high expectations about them. I enjoy the brothers in Jackpot and I keep wondering how Monster will last 50 episodes. I'm also watching God of Noodles, but it is different because it is so dark and heartbreaking at times. When it started looking like they were not going to make it to Tae Ha's release I actually stopped watching and skipped the next episode. I agree on a Five Children. I usually avoid weekend family dramas like the plague, and even though this drama is not perfect I am really enjoying it. I'm also enjoying Mirror of the Witch, Oh Hae Young, and Gong Shim. Since I'm a teacher and school already ended where I live (plus not teaching summer school this year!) I am going to enjoy all these dramas until the summer ends. Hurray!

May 28, 2016 at 1:40 PM

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I honestly loved Jackpot at the start so I feel really let down by it that's why I can't continue with it. I had tears in my eyes about Tae Ha's release no drama has made me feel like that haha ? I am a student nurse and I have 6 weeks of placement then 3 weeks of exams so I wish university had finished so I can go on a drama marathon but I'm loving airing dramas so it's okay ? Sue take your relaxing break you deserve it ? It's amazing to see different people of all nationalities and professions coming to together tho ? I love Five Children as it is close to what I want from a family drama. I agree tho no drama is perfect but we still love them all the same ❤️

May 28, 2016 at 9:20 AM

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That's a great feature, srsly, I love this blog more and more <3 love you girls.

I always assumed my tastes to be like Girlfriday, I'm surprised I agree with Javabeans' list, I love OHY, like really really really love it, OMG how come every character make me root for him? I love them all, especially my OHY ofc. But somehow, I want her with her ex-fiancé. Yep, he's handsome, and although he made a stupid mistake, but I understand where he comes from.

My second fave is Beautiful Gong Shim. GsD Minah is srsly a natural, she's doing great so far, and she's so adorably cute. I have a girl-crush on her srsly!
Everything about this show is simple, yet great. I can't wait for new episodes and my heart already flutters with Dan Tae's sweet gestures toward Gong Shim. NGMis nailing his character, and I love that he's "normal" despite his dark past, he smiles, cares, and is so sweet he gives me toothache

May 28, 2016 at 9:29 AM

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Wow! With everything you guys have to do, newsfeeds, ratings, etc., and still recap - it's no wonder you don't have time to just enjoy a show. On that note, purely for your own enjoyment, let me recomend Five Children. I tuned in for Sung Hoon and was disappointed...at first...because I didn't think they showed enough of him. I'm now intriqued, captivated and addicted to the entire show, especially with the female lead character like I've never seen before in kdramaland. A divorced woman who stands up for herself and her kids, is scary to those messing with her, yet never feels like she's bitchy.

This is now #2 (behind Healer) of my fav shows (if I don't count the saeguks Chuno, Tree, and Dragons).

May 28, 2016 at 5:06 PM

May 28, 2016 at 9:34 AM

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What a lovely feature.

i'm currently watching OHY - it brought me out of my month long kdrama hibernation. It is perfect. i'm kind of obsessing over it. desperately waiting for tuesdays. And OHY i just want to be best friends with her .. or date her..... She is awesome!

Mirror of the witch - i like the fantasy more than the rest of romance or political stuff

Gong Shim - i decided to drop it after 3 episodes. it feels like a generic rom com. i love Namgoong Min but not enough to stick around. The writing/ dialogue is not really witty. the writers seem to think a warm hearted girl = doormat. For some reason i keep imagining Eunji in this bec minah has just the whole grumpy thing going. So bye bye ... And yes, i want to sock the elder sister

May 28, 2016 at 9:39 AM

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Oh wow this is exactly the kind of feature I was wanting, I just couldn't articulate how it would look - this is PERFECT!! Really really excellent idea ladies, of all the new features this going to be my favorite by far! (Altho can we bring back the top 10 lists at some point? Those were super fun and a good way to talk about older dramas)
Thanks for keeping it fresh and fun Team DB!!!

May 28, 2016 at 3:05 PM

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Gongmin/Noguk will always be my number one kdrama ship (plus they were extremely close in real life, so their relationship in Shin Don feels more special to me). Actually, I enjoy a lot of Jung Ha-yeon's romances. They're never the point, and a lot of times they don't end so well, but it's refreshing to see his female characters deal with men and relationships.

May 29, 2016 at 8:05 AM

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Same here :). She didn't just kick butt in politics but also as a wife and queen. I believe it was recorded in history that she fought off assassins during Kim Yong's rebellion to protect her husband. I don't think Jung Ha-yeon made it up just make her looks cool like some heroines in other sageuks.
Definitely a true love story I can get behind.

May 28, 2016 at 9:43 AM

May 28, 2016 at 9:43 AM

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Ooooh, I like this new feature, kind of like recappers' version of the open thread.
I'm a little surprised that more people of the DB-team are watching Mirror of the Witch instead of Oh Hae Young Again (especially girlfriday). Not that MOTW doesn't deserve it but considering the hype OHYA has I thought everyone and their mothers are watching it. lol

May 28, 2016 at 9:52 AM

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This thread is fun! I hope you will keep this one, it's great to hear everyone's opinion about whatever it is you guys watch. Altho a bit surprised only Saya watch Noodles? I stop watching after ep 3 bcs i need something lighter after all intense stuffs i watched before but it seems a solid show.

I see Oh Hae Young dominates many plates hihi. Seo Hyunjin really KILLS this character, doesn't she. I almost regret watching it now bcs the waiting is painful :/

May 28, 2016 at 9:53 AM

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Yes, yes YES - love that you are doing this. I was getting SO worried that JavaBeans and GirlFriday weren't watching Beautiful Gong Sim! I always enjoy your opinions and love all the hard-working recappers!

May 28, 2016 at 9:58 AM

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...and, oh...I'm still (painfully) watching Entertainer because I'm so desperate to know that Hyeri will NOT end up with Ji Sung. Pretty please Drama gods? She needs to be with Minhyuk and I don't care for the stupid "law" that people raised as siblings, but not related, can't date or fall in love. That's just nuts!

May 29, 2016 at 6:54 AM

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I am so glad I have found people with similar thoughts to mine. I have a 'brother' who grew up with me, but we are not related, and the idea of having anything to do with him makes me want to puke! Because... ewww?
That has always been my ideaology.
And then Entertainer comes and throws that out the window.. Im screaming like 'NO NO You must end up with your brother! I do not care if you grew up with him.. LOVE HIM!'

May 29, 2016 at 8:20 AM

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i still can't ship Hyeri with anyone because I still don't have a grasp of who she is and what she wants. It's like she's this blank canvas who becomes what other people need, but doesn't really have dreams of her own. She has way better chemistry with her brother, but I want her to have her own dreams and goals BEFORE getting into a relationship.

May 29, 2016 at 7:34 PM

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Omg, that sounds exactly like her character in Answer Me 1988!
On a side note, I'm still watching Entertainer too. It's watchable, I intend to finish it for Ji sung. It's actually quite sweet when I'm watching it but once I finish the week's episodes, the magic wears off instantly and I usually leave it till the last to catch up on new episodes compared with other shows.
It's good for watching but not good for gushing about i guess.

May 28, 2016 at 9:54 AM

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Entertainer doesn't thrill me or make me obsessive like I am with OHYA, but I'm gonna finish it because I do want to see how Seok Ho will solve the problems and how KTOP/the CEO will be punished in the end. I'm in it for the bromance and heart-tugging scenes. :)

May 28, 2016 at 9:56 AM

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Love reading all recappers' comments. Such an excellent idea ^^

So far I am following Oh Hae Young Again, Mirror of the Witch, Vampire Detective and Flower in Prison. It seems no one is watching Flower in Prison. Go Soo is a treat here, and I love Jin Seyeon as Ok-Nyeo^^

I haven't been able to find wed-thur drama yet, feeling so empty now considering most of american series I follow is in hiatus or just aired season finale. I dont know why wed-thur dramas don't manage to capture my attention. Feels like nothing can beat OHY at that moment.

May 28, 2016 at 5:49 PM

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I'm watching Flower in Prison too and I really like the drama so far. The child actress for Ok Nyeo was really good and Jin Se Yeon seems fine as the adult Ok Nyeo. Or maybe it's just me as I have not watched any of Jin Se Yeon acting.

May 28, 2016 at 9:10 PM

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She seems fine to me too. So far her character is a headstrong girl, trying to find her root in the world. I can get behind that kind of character regardless of acting. As long as she didn't turn into meek and weak girl, I am good.

May 28, 2016 at 10:07 AM

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This is such a great idea, kudos to the person who came up with it. I rarely watch a show that isn't complete anymore (hate disappointment when the show goes downhill, so I like the option of simply hopping to the last few episodes instead of wasting time). However, Dear My Friends and Master God of Noodles both have me completely hooked.

I have to agree with Saya about God of Noodles. It seemed pretty laid out and reasonable (in a twisted way) until my daughter walked in and started asking about the characters and their motivations. When I explained, I realized it sounded absolutely convoluted and totally screwy, especially when I got the "you-have-to-be-kidding-me-this-is-crazy-and-makes-no-sense" look. Maybe it's years of KDrama addiction that helps me reason it all out? Or maybe it's Jo Jae Hyun's excellent Bad Guy Crazy Eyes that keeps me coming back for more? Whichever, I just can't seem to quit this drama.

May 28, 2016 at 10:08 AM

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This is a nice feature, you guys should keep it!

Anyway, I'm surprised by negative reviews of Entertainer since I think the show is getting more interesting as episodes goes by and is not just a mere underdog band story. Overall it's been pretty good. I think this show's strong point are its storytelling, the main story, and how jokes are slipped here and there.

May 28, 2016 at 10:51 AM

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Agreed. I don't get why no one's liking Entertainer. It's getting better and better with every episode. (Except for the Hyeri love triangle which is just annoying.)

At first I expected it to be that very underdog band story that it's definitely not shaping out to be. The relationships between all the different characters on the "good" side (Hyeri excluded), the fact that it has a single dad character (don't think I've ever seen a kdrama character like Yeon Soo) and the fact that secrets are constantly spilled and mysteries being resolved bit by bit instead of the usual kdrama where all that happens in the last few episodes, really makes this worth the watch.

It's actually the only currently airing drama that's managed to capture my attention right now.

May 28, 2016 at 11:53 AM

May 28, 2016 at 10:08 AM

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Mirror of the witch is just so spellbounding that I canopy even begin to explain
The cinematography ,the characters,the acting ,it's so dark and the music wow..
The scary music actually gives me chills
In love with the drama

May 28, 2016 at 10:17 AM

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Awesome idea!!! Currently I am watching the following:

Entertainer : It's not very entertaining. Ji Sung is good as well as the band. Hyeri is disappointing. She's once again overshadowed by the cast like in Reply. Honestly this show has become background noise as the series progresses.

beautiful gong shim: I'm glad I picked this up. It's a silly drama and at times Mi Na's screaming is too much. But Namgoong Min is a winner in this series. It's like watching him in WGM again.

Mirror of the Witch: Kim Sae Ron and Yoo Shi Yoon have been amazing so far in this series. I love the fantasy and horror aspect of MOTW. Not your typical saeguk. I'm glad a lot of people are giving it so much love. The age difference doesn't even matter anymore as the loveline is not so much the highlight.

Come Back, Ajusshi - Just finished. Haven't watched Rain in anything since Full House. I tried his series with Krystal but I gave up after the first episode. I was actually more captivated by Honey Lee's storyline with Oh Yeon Seo. They had better chemistry than Rain and Lee Min Jung.

May 28, 2016 at 10:18 AM

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Wonderful!

I LOVE OHY. it's the best drama i've ever watched ❤. Can't wait for the next episode.
I love our Haeyoung, she is so adorable n i understand the feeling she has right now...
I can't imagine what will happen when she finds out the truth... poor Haeyoung..

May 28, 2016 at 10:26 AM

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Thank you so much for this girls!
I currently watching Oh Hae Young Again and it's been so long since a drama hooked me. I also watch Beautiful Gong Shim but yeah it's fine I'll watch it if I have free time. But thanks to all your review I'll definitely will give Mirror of the Witch a try.

May 28, 2016 at 10:34 AM

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I love this feature, mainly because it's nice to know you all's opinion on the shows I am enjoying. I'm only watching Mirror of the Witch and Oh Hae-young and it's good to know that both are getting love. Especially Mirror of the Witch, which still seems to be getting criticized (probably by those who still aren't watching it). That show is fantastic.

Looks like I'm not missing out on any of the other shows. Should I start Dear My Friends?

May 28, 2016 at 10:51 AM

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I love this feature. When I pick up a show that's not being recapped, or only has one recapper, I'm always curious what the rest of you think and find myself just waiting for the next podcast so I at least hear Java and GF's commentary.

May 28, 2016 at 10:54 AM

This is a wonderful feature you guys! Its good to know what the others in the Dramabeans Team are watching, apart from the show they are recapping.

Another Oh Hae Young deserves all the love it is getting. And so does Beautiful Gong Shim, on a smaller scale.

And I just knew Saya would be watching Master- God of Noodles. She usually recaps the shows that I really like, but which don't get so much love. Yes, GoN is convoluted but it I am really enjoying the movie- feel, and every episode leaves me wanting more!

May 28, 2016 at 4:26 PM

May 28, 2016 at 5:48 PM

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I do too! Please count me in. I am crazy in love with Noodles and quite heartbroken that there isn't even a drama hangout for it on Dramabeans! To my mind Noodles is in a class of its own when it comes to acting, directing, editing, cinematography and plot and I would welcome an opportunity to discuss with like minded viewers what they love and do not love about the drama. It kind of reminds me of old classics like the Godfather movies, dark without being macabre; or an olde-world VIP waiting room, built with dark wood panelling, filled with lots of cigar smoke and men in suits drinking expensive liquor. What I mean to describe is, it's not to everyone's taste, but when you see quality, you recognize it.

May 28, 2016 at 11:01 AM

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Wow almost all you watch Mirror of the Witch and now I remember I'm honestly having a dilemma over Mirror of the Witch, I can't watch it. I love it so much that I can't watch it. Someone help me please. Everytime there's a moment where bad thing is going to happened I put it forward so far away coz my heart can't take it, it happens from time to time (since almost every scene has that kind of moment) that I don't even know what is going on the flow of the story. It's like eating a burger but before I eat the inside-of-the-bun I stop coz I'm so excited to eat it. Someone help me please!!!

May 28, 2016 at 1:00 PM

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I have the same problem. Find a friend (internet/skype or live) and use them as your clutch buddy. Grab them whenever you get the wierd feeling (vent emotions) then rewind. I did that and I'm a guy...my friend threatened me with beheading if I didn't get a grip but it worked.

May 28, 2016 at 3:43 PM

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I did that two years ago. Was going nuts without anyone to share the drama feels with and ended up putting out a plea for a K-pal. Found the perfect one. She's wonderful. We've been emailing each other every day (sometimes every hour!) for the past two years, sharing all the squealing, crying, laughing, bitching, sighing and random opinions inherent in watching dramas and listening to k-pop. I'm finally going to get a chance to meet her next month when I drive through Ohio. Yay! We all need a k-drama support system!

May 29, 2016 at 3:24 AM

May 29, 2016 at 7:48 PM

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Well, not sure if it helps. I'm glad they are all watching mirror of the witch. I'm watching too, but it's dark, really really dark. It's not something easy to stomach. So sometimes I do wonder if I should drop it. that's why good to know more than 1 db recappers are watching too don't feel so lonely. And though the cinematography is pretty, it's not easy to stomach all that darkness and eerie evil.

May 28, 2016 at 11:22 AM

May 28, 2016 at 11:35 AM

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I'm obviously a Oh Hae Young again fan like most.
But I'll talk about the other drama that I'm enjoying, God of Noodles, I seriously loved its premiere but I have to say that the execution of the story is not to its benefit. There's too much secret, convoluted relations and confusing situation and the drama doesn't know how to dole out bits of the story properly, it has good content but its all over the place.

May 28, 2016 at 11:44 AM

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Like sticky notes and wheels on luggage, this feature is one of those things that makes you ask yourself, Why didn't this exist before? Thank you!

I'm super surprised, and kind of sad, that GF isn't watching OHYA. I was also surprised to read that JB is watching Monster-- until I remembered who's in it. (I'm pretty sure that by "clean my room", she means get her Kang Ji-hwan fix.)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. You're the kimchi on the Dramaland rice.

Neighborhood Lawyer (who doesnt love it? Badass prosecutor turned to badass lawyer. Plus, I'm actually looking forward for Ji Wook to go back to his good uncorrupted self. Fingers crossed.)
Mirror of the witch (age gap? What age gap? More scene with Seo Ri and Heo Joon, please! :)) my other comment about this show (other than the obviously gooood picture for a fantasy saeguk) is that the story feels sooooooo slow. Very little progress happen in one episode. Other than that, it's perfect

Like several ppl here, I am also surprised that only Saya watches God of Noodles. It's so good (and those noodles! Dont watch this in an empty stomach). I agree though, that it's so tense that I need lighter drama to watch after I watch Noodles (and currently Jackpot falls under 'light dramas' in my list.

May 28, 2016 at 12:13 PM

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Love this new feature! I've been hoping you guys would do this for a while. Not only does it give us your various thoughts on the shows you guys aren't recapping, it's also a way to get an idea of what's worth the watch and what's not without being spoiled by reading the recaps (for spoilerphobes like me).

May 28, 2016 at 12:31 PM

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I have to say I love, love love this new feature because I've been wondering what you guys think about shows you're not recapping especially OHY and MOTW, my fave right now. And I don't have to wait for the latest podcast or when the year ends (too far!) to know what you like at the moment. Yay! Kudos to you guys.

And OHY is love. SHY is amazing.

MOTW really reminds me of Arang. Its rich world and I applaud the show for setting up this world that is really engaging. It makes me wonder what will happen next and wow, Yoon Shi Yoon is just...I can't even describe how good he is. He is just good at everything isn't he? I guess what makes us forget about the whole age thing is that for now romance is not central.

May 28, 2016 at 1:05 PM

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Me too! I just love him and I'm glad that the show is solid ratings-wise. Hope it pulls up as the series goes on. And oh, that puppy eyes. It just kills me all the time. He is so good with his expressing through his eyes!

May 28, 2016 at 11:43 PM

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MOTW also reminded me of Arang but a bit of Moon Embracing the Sun also. I hope they maintain it! I'm happy that Yoon Shi Yoon's show is really doing well. After Baker King, I don't think I have watched enough of him.

May 28, 2016 at 12:37 PM

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This is the first time I'm seeing (or noticing) Saya's avatar-- it's cute! I agree with what Saya said about OHYA, but I get nervous when I see anyone referring to OHY's parents as the Bes* Parents Ever. A BPE-designation on DB is like a truck of doom: something few characters survive.

Seriously though, I'd watch this show just for HY and her parents. My heart is still warm from the noraebang scene. I hope I'm not deprived of the delight of watching HY's mom freak the bejeezus out of DK's mom when she starts ripping her clothes off during a showdown with her. And dutiful dad deserves an award for how well he expresses his love despite being a mostly silent character.